Health professionals in Toronto marked Tuesday’s third anniversary of the federal refugee health cuts by sending Ottawa a unanimous message: We are not going away.

The rally in front of the Immigration and Refugee Board headquarters on Victoria St. was one of 17 demonstrations held across Canada to condemn the cuts introduced by the Conservative government in June 2012.

“As long as cynical politicians use vulnerable groups such as refugees for soundbites and cheap political points, we will continue to demand change,” Dr. Meb Rashid told 350 protesters in Toronto.

“Our colleagues across Canada are saying, ‘enough is enough.’ We are demanding the government reverse the cuts to refugee health insurance. We are not going away. We will continue to speak out for those who have endured horrible atrocities.”

During the hour-long rally, speaker after speaker talked about the ethical dilemma front-line health service providers face in enforcing a discriminatory system that pits refugees against one another, based on country of origin and asylum status.

Others also detailed stories about patients arriving in Canada with dire health needs but being ineligible for care due to the cuts: for example, a tragic victim of gang rape who wasn’t covered for care during the resulting pregnancy.

Dr. Sandy Buchman, past president of the College of Family Physicians of Canada, said he had to treat a 72-year-old failed refugee claimant with growing tumors in her abdomen and on her back.

“Her tumors were very large and disfiguring. Her chest wound was open and bleeding and infected. She was not eligible for cancer treatment,” he said. “Her condition was palliative. We needed to find a place to accept her and allow her a peaceful, comfortable and dignified death. This was one of my practical challenges. There are many more.”

Toronto’s chief medical officer, Dr. David McKeown, said denying refugees access to health care also poses a risk to public health.

“What we hear, on a day-to-day basis in our work in public health, is that the current lack of access to care, gaps in eligibility for care and patchwork of existing services act as impediments,” McKeown said.

“Refugees with symptoms need to know that they can go to have those symptoms assessed, diagnosed and, if necessary, treated in a timely fashion . . . We all have a stake in the health of refugees in our community. We should all be concerned about their access to care.”

Ottawa has said the cuts could save taxpayers $20 million over five years, but protesters said the costs are simply being downloaded to hospitals and the provinces. Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and Quebec have all pushed back against the federal cuts, by filling the gaps themselves.

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